In Touch 22

Loving God by the Book

Psalm 119:105-112

The number one reason people give me for not meditating upon Scripture is that they don’t have enough time. I’ve often said that we make time for what’s important to us, and a few years back, I decided to test my theory. I photocopied the book of Philippians, cut it into sections, and taped it over the columns of my local newspaper. It took up just three columns of the front page. In other words, if you’ve read your favorite parts of the newspaper or scanned the headlines on the Internet, you could have read the book of Philippians. So don’t tell me you do not have time!

I challenge you to make time for digging into God’s Word. Open to Philippians and ask the Lord to speak to you. As you read, pray over words that the Holy Spirit draws to your attention, and “listen" for whatever the Lord wants to say to you.

Praying through a book—not verse by verse but as God lifts things off the page and into your heart—elevates spiritual life to a new level. You’ll find yourself wanting to progress past an elementary understanding of the faith, and praying the Scriptures like David, Daniel, and Paul. Moreover, you’ll desire to be obedient to what you’re reading because you are falling deeper in love with the book’s Author.

God blesses believers who keep His commands (John 14:21). The Lord loves all people, and He gives Christians special status as His sons and daughters. But those who choose to live righteously will understand more about Him and His ways. Make time to be among the favored of God.